getting rid of blackberry thicket

[Rus]

My property is overgrown with brambles high enough to cover several apple trees I didn't know were there. Half of the thicket is on steep ground, but the other half is level enough for my tractor. The vines are 1" diameter at the ground and have long thorns. What's the best plan of attack?

 

[Inspector507]

Bush hog.......back into them

 

[Docsknotinn]

I dont have a brush hog although that would certainly be fast. Also much of my property I can not reach by tractor yet. If that is a similar situation I would cut them in the winter with a weed whacker that can have the steel skill saw type blade attached. Then spray them with round up BRUSH killer. I am takeing out a patch for a neighbor this week end. Just a Blackberry thicket he wants to till for a food plot, Dave

 

[MossRoad]

I second the brush hog plan.

 

[F350Lawman]

I had a similar situation with thorn bushes where I couldn't use my brushhog due to a stone wall being right next to the bushes. I took some out by mashing them with the FEL. The others I bent over with the FEWL and then used the chainsaw to cut at the base. By breaking most of the bush with the FEL I got less thorns stuck in me while wading in with the saw.

It goes fairly fast as I found many of the bushes branch off from one small base. You will shed some blood however. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Phred]

Bush hog will cut them up but they will come back.

I have been cutting some for a few years and its still coming back.
Next year I will try a sprayer.

Fred

 

[Slamfire]

If you are gonna wade into 'em, wait for winter, and wear an insulated Carhart suit. I prefer the bib, vest and jacket all at the same time. For cuttin' them I like a scythe, get the european model if you don't have experience swingin' one.

Oops I just noticed you are from Arcata, no insulated suit for you. I guess the second choice would be a set of brush buster chaps available at a place that sells hunting clothing.

 

[F350Lawman]

I dont have a brush hog

Fellas, DocsNotInn said he doesn't have a brushhog... he is looking for alternative means.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Nope I dont have one. The ones that will go on my tractor are pretty small..MX4 ? I dont know how much they cost as I have been shakeing piggy upside down this year with other purchases. I would think Ideally once you got them down you would till them and then rake them. The worst thing about this type of brush for my machine is those 4 ply front tires that are prone to punctures. I have used the FEL to mash brush and I do find that works pretty darn good. I was primarily thinking alternative means as the first post mentioned apple trees so I was guessing it might be tough to navigate that with a Hog. I will try to get some photos this weekend of that project. Dave

 

[MossRoad]

If you don't have a brush hog, then it's probably chainsaw time. After you trim them off, use an old dishwashing detergent bottle to apply roundup to the freshly cut stumps, paying particular attention to the area around the bark as this is where it will sprout again.